Applicator cap and method of making the same



Oct. 6, 1936. L. A. VON TILL APPLICATOR CAP AND METHOD OF MAKING THESAME Filed Nov. 16, 19 52 lily/1V ,1

|NVENTOR-, Jazzy/1.1622717! ATTORNEY- Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITEDSTATES PATENT oEFicE APPLICATOR CAP AND METHOD F MAKING THE SAME LouisA. Von Till, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Anchor Cap & ClosureCorporation,

Long

The present invention relates to the sealing art, and more particularlyto closures having applicator rods secured thereto.

Various types of products, such as iodine and mercurochrome, are appliedin small quantities requiring an applicator rod, which is usually soldwith the package. Generally, these rods are attached to a rubber stopperso that the consumer can use the stopper as a handle for applying theproduct. These stoppers are objectionable because they are difficult toapply and remove; they deteriorate rapidly and frequently becomemutilated during use, destroying the stopper and rendering theapplicator useless.

In addition, the applicator rods frequently work loose from the stopperand are lost. Attempts have been made to utilize metal closure caps, butthe products with which applicator rodsare used are generally of suchcharacter that they attack the metal, causing it to corrode, whichresults in an unsalable package. Molded closure caps are more suitablethan either metal caps or rubber stoppers, for these products, butdifficulty has been encountered in attaching applicator 5 rods to thecaps. Various types of adhesives and cements have been tried but nonehave been found which may be used on the various products sealed withapplicator caps. .Certain cements resist certain products but will notresist 30 others. As a result, it is necessary to use a particularcement for certain products and, with some products, no cements aresatisfactory.

The present invention aims to overcome the above objections by providinga mounting for an applicator rod on a molded closure cap, which will beequally resistant to all types of products and which may, therefore, beuniversally used, without danger of the rod becoming loose or beinglost.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved closure andapplicator rod.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved means andmethod of attaching an applicator to a closure cap.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for attaching anapplicator rod to the closure cap, which will be equally resistant toall products, and, therefore, universally usable.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the cost of attaching anapplicator rod to a closure cap, thereby reducing the cost of theapplicator cap.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved applicator rodand closure cap,

which may be used with all products.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon anunderstanding of the illustrated embodiment about to be described orwill be indicated in the appended claims, and vari- 'ous advantages notreferred to herein will occur 5 to one skilled in the art uponemployment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes ofillustration and description and is shown in the accompanying 10drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a sectional view of an applicator cap appliedto a container;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the applicator rod before it ismounted in the closure 15 Fig. 3 is a sectional view of another form ofclosure cap and applicator rod about to be assembled;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, illustrating a third 20 form of closure capand applicator rod about to be assembled;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a closure cap and applicator rod, showinga further modification of the invention; 5

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the well shown in Fig. 5, having a rodattached thereto,'the rod being shown in section; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing a further modificationof the invention. -30

Referring again to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1 andthere is shown a molded closure cap I having a cover portion 2 and adepending skirt 4. The inside of the skirt is provided with screwthreads 5 adapted to en- 35 gage corresponding threads 6 on acontainer 1. The closure cap may be of any suitable material, preferablyof a phenolic condensation product or other synthetic resin, commonlyknown as plastics. Preferably, a liner retaining ledge 8 is pro- 0 videddirectly above the thread to support a liner 9 of cardboard, cork, orother suitable material, for engaging the rim of the container to form asuitable seal.

A tubular member ID is formed on the under 45 side of the cover portionof the cap integral with the cover portion and having a cylindricalwell. I l adapted to receive the end of an applicator rod l2.Preferably, an annular recess 14 is provided at the upper end of thewell, adja- 50 cent the cover portion of the cap, adapted to lock withthe end of a rod. In manufacturing the cap, it is ordinarily desirableto have the sides of the well tapered slightly in a downward direction,in order to facilitate the removal of 55 the mold or pin which forms theinterior of the cap. The shape of the rod l2 prior to assembly with thecap is shown more particularly in Fig. 2. When assembling the rod withthe cap, the upper end thereof may be heated in a suitable fiame, eithermanually or automatically, until the glass becomes molten or soft, andthe end of the rod is then inserted into the well H. The soft glass isforced into the annular recess l4 and locks the rod rigidly in position,regardless of any irregularities either in the glass rod or the tubularprojection ll! of the closure cap.

It has been found that phenolic condensation products and syntheticresins are slightly resilient at the termination of the moldingoperation forming them. This property may be utilized in forming theliner retaining ledge 8 and the annular recess M in the present closurecap. Suitable solid pins may be utilized for making these parts, as wellas the threads 5, and the caps stripped from the pin while the materialis hot. In this manner, the closure caps, as shown herein, may bemanufactured inexpensively. The thread projections in the well of thecap, shown in certain figures of the drawing, may have the same pitch asthe skirt of the cap, and, if desired, may be divided so that thethreads thereof may be removed from the pins by the customary rotationof the cap.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 3, the inner wall of the tubularmember In may be provided with thread projections l5, adapted tocooperate with corresponding thread projections IS on the end of theapplicator rod. Preferably, the thread projections or lugs [6 on theapplicator rod are formed by flattening the end of the rod while hot, tocause the glass to flow out and form projections offset with respect toeach other. Preferably, the end of the rod is assembled with thethreaded well while the glass is soft, that is, directly after theformation of the lugs thereon, so that any irregularities in the rod orin the well may be taken care of and. so that the rod may be lockedfirmly in position. It will be understood, however, that the rods may beapplied while cool.

In Fig. 4, a closure cap substantially similar to that shown in Fig. 3is illustrated for receiving a rod having a single projection I! formedat the end thereof for engagement with the threads I5 on the inner wallof the well. The rod may be assembled with the cap directly after theprojection I1 is formed thereon, while the glass is soft or after theglass hardens, as described with respect to the construction shown inFig. 3.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 5 and 6, there is shown a closurecap having longitudinal ribs I8, herein shown as four in number, on theinner wall of the well. These projections are adapted to frictionallyengage the cylindrical end of a glass rod i2 and hold the rod inposition. A bottom view showing the end of the rod in the well isillustrated in Fig. 6. The ribs l8, by reason of the concentratedpressure, tend to! distort the tubular well fromits cylindrical shapeand, in this way, take up slight irregularities, both in the glass andin the molded tubular member. A good friction grip may be obtained inthis way without-heating the end of the rod, that is, by forcing the endof the glass rod into the well. Due to the variations in the size of theglass rods, it is usually desirable to have selected rods with as littlevariations in size as possible. There is a certain amount of flexibilityin the side wall of the well and, by forcing the end of A slightlydifferent construction is shown in 10 Fig. '7, wherein a glass tube I 9is assembled on a pin 20 having projections 2| thereon. The projections2| are preferably small, so that the tube I 9, when in heated condition,may be telescoped over the pin 20 to lock with the pro- 15 jections.These projections may be small in or-, der to facilitate the moldingoperation. The lower end of the tube may be closed by melting the glassover a flame, either automatically or manually. It will be seen that thepresent in- 20 vention provides a closure cap and applicator rod whichare securely attached to each other, without the use of cements,adhesives and the like. By forcing the glass rod into the well,

either with or without cooperating projections, 25

a very strong union is obtained which is fully capable of resisting thevarious products which the cap is used to seal. The method of assemblingthe applicator rod with the cap is simple and inexpensive and may beperformed rapidly. 30

By threading the well, the rod, or both, an interlocking connection ismade and, if the parts are assembled while the glass is in heatedcondition, a permanent connection is provided.

As various changes may be made in the form, 35

construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of itsadvantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to beinterpreted as illustrative 40 and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. As an article ofmanufacture, a closure cap having a cover portion, a depending skirt,and a substantially cylindrical well on the inner side 45 of the coverportion, an annular recess in said well adjacent the cover portion, anda rod having one end thereof fused into said well and into said annularrecess.

2. As an article of manufacture, a closure cap .50

comprising a cover portion, a depending skirt, a tubular memberprojecting from the under side of said cover portion, acircumferentially extending projection on the inside of said tubularmember, and a glass rod fused into secure en- 55 gagement with saidtubular member and said projection.

3. As an article of manufacture, a closure cap comprising a coverportion, a depending skirt,

a tubular projection integral with the under 60 side of said coverportion, and a glass applicator rod having one end thereof fused intocooperative relation with the inside of said tubular projection.

4. As an article of manufacture, a closure cap 65 having a cover portionand a depending skirt, a tubular member projecting from the under sideof the cover portion, thread projections on the inside of said tubularmember, a glass rod having thread projections at one end thereof 76threaded into engagement with the projections in said tubular member andfused into permanent relation therewith.

5. As an article of manufacture, a closure cap having a dependingtubular member forming a 75 well, ribs extending downwardly along theside wall of said well and radially inwardly therefrom, and a glassapplicator rod having one end thereof inserted into said well and fusedtherein to engage and be held in position by said ribs.

6. The method of attaching applicator rods to closure caps having wellstherein provided with a recess, which method comprises fusing one end ofthe applicator rod and inserting it into the well to extrude the fusedend into the recess.

7. The method of assembling a closure cap having a well with anirregular interior with a glass applicator rod, which method comprisesheating the end of the rod until the glass softens and inserting the endof the rod in said Well while in softened condition causing the end ofthe rod to conform in part to the irregularity of said well.

8. The method of assembling a closure cap having a. well with a glassrod, which method comprises heating one end of the rod until it softens,fusing one end of the rod into engagement with the well, and permittingthe parts to cool.

9. The method of assembling a closure cap having a threaded well with aglass rod, which method comprises heating the end of the rod until itsoftens and inserting it into engagement with the thread in said wellwhile in softened condition.

10. The method of securing glass applicator rods having a thread portionto closure caps having a well therein, which method comprises heatingthe threaded portion of the applicator rod until it softens, andthreading the rods into the well while in softened condition.

11. As an article of manufacture, a closure cap having a. cover portion,a depending skirt, and a downwardly depending projection on the innerside of the cover portion having an annular recess therein, and a glassapplicator member having a portion thereof fused into said annularrecess.

12. In the method of applying fusible meml bers to closures having wellstherein, the steps consisting in softening a portion of said member,thrusting the softened portion into the well of a closure and applyingpressure to the member suficient to upset the softened portion of themember in the well.

13. In the method of applying fusible members to synthetic resincomposition closures having wells therein, the steps consisting insoftening the tip of the fusible member by the application of heatthereto, inserting the softened tip into the well and applying pressureto the memher to deform the softened portion thereof within the well.

14. In the method of applying glass applicators to synthetic resincomposition closures having wells therein, the steps consisting inexposing the tip of the applicator to a heating flame until the tipsoftens, positioning the applicator in the well of the closure andapplying pressure to deform the softened tip of the applicator in thewell.

LOUIS A. VON TILL.

